As of 2024, we have helped over 1800 dogs find new families. Our rescue is primarily run by a single individual who also works a full-time "real" job in social services. We also maintain Lost and Found Pets of Greater Lafayette that helps reunite stray pets with their owners. Pawswap of Greater Lafayette was started as a solution to help the many dogs in need to keep them out of shelters to curb stress on the overflowing shelter system. We love to find solutions for owners to keep their pets. If that is not the case, then we work with owners to find responsible, safe homes for their fully vetted pets. We do not charge owners seeking help for our services. We do charge adoption fees that help us pay for supplies and medical care for dogs in our program. Our adoption fees range from$0-$250 situationally. The first step of the adoption process is to complete an application on our website at www.pawswapofgreaterlafayette.com/adopting. From there, we take time a couple of times a week to look through applications and contact potential adopters. We ask for your patience as we work through applications. We will often update the page with updates on specific dogs and will try to be in touch with every applicant. Some dogs are very popular. We may get MANY great applications, but we can only choose 1 family. We prioritize best fit over first come-first served. We very much want to ensure the adoptions are thoughtfully considered and the best fit for everyone involved. We often utilize a foster-to-adopt time frame to ensure everything is working out in a new home. Our foster-based rescue has many benefits for the animals. We have found that the transition from one home to the next is much less stressful for the animals than when they transition from a shelter. We also have the benefit of providing very detailed information about the animals in home environments. All of this leads to a smoother adoption that makes the experience positive for everyone involved. Many of our dogs may have started out as strays, may have come through local shelters, are currently owned (and stay with the original family until an appropriate home is found), or in a foster home. All of our dogs go into homes spayed/neutered, up to date on vaccines, heartworm tested/treated, and microchipped. We very much appreciate our foster families that open their homes to our dogs in need. Some situations arise where owners cannot keep their pets and we place the pet in an available foster home. We are always looking for more fosters! We provide any needed supplies and vetting costs, you provide the time and love! Please, contact us if you are interested in becoming a foster family. We do our very best to collect as much information about potential dogs in our program from as many parties as available including the original owners, trainers, foster families, kennel staff, and our own observations and experiences. It is important to note that handling animals inherently comes with risk and we seek to minimize risk as much as possible. For example, we will disclose all the information we have on a pet and make recommendations for the pet moving into their new homes. It is important for all involved to take safety measures by supervising all interactions with your new pet and strangers, guests, children, and other pets in your home. We also ask that you follow all staff directives in a meet and greet with a potential new dog to reduce risk and ensure the best outcome for all involved. Once we review applications, we will set up a meet and greet with a potential family at a time that works for everyone. We will often meet at Pet Supplies Plus or we will meet at another local place in Lafayette where everyone can visit inside and take the time to get to know one another. If you are interested in seeking our services for your pet in need, then please send us a message with a picture and details including name, age, and how the dog is with children, cats, and dogs. Please include information on whether the dog is house trained, crate trained, and if it knows any commands, etc. Please, let us know the timeline of needing help. We are the most successful when we have ample time to find a home.
